Liquid transfer unit



May 16, 1967 J. T. WARE 3,319,578

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I @O 8 a 9 I \I V V1 x L Z2 2/ 2: I H I K)? 25 EI'JVEFVTOR rJ/wv 7T $15495 ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,319,578 Patented May 16, 1967 3,319,578 LIQUID TRANSFER UNIT John T. Ware, Mooresville, N .C., assignor to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greenboro, N.C. Filed June 18, 1965, Ser. No. 465,139 3 Claims. (Cl. 103-235) The present invention relates in general to liquid pumping systems, and more particularly to pneumatic apparatus for transferring liquids without pump contamination.

It has been recognized in certain liquid transfer applications, for example, in the transfer of size solutions in textile plants, that it would be extremely desirable to prevent any contamination of the liquid. One potential source of such contamination is the pump itself, and pump contamination, primarily from lubricants, has been a long-existing problem.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a liquid transfer pumping unit which allows no lubricants or other pump contaminates to contact the liquid.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a liquid transfer pumping unit in which the liquid does not come into contact with moving parts.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a textile size transfer unit which will transfer size from one piece of equipment to another at substantial flow rates without pump contamination.

Briefly, the invention consists of pulling a liquid solution into a recovery tank by vacuum produced in an ancillary chamber by a venturi jet vacuum generator, and then pushing the liquid from the recovery tank by means of gaseous pressure.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in section of the solution transfer unit while in vacuum cycle.

FIGURE 2 is a View of the same unit, partly in section, while in pressure cycle.

In FIGURE 1, the liquid transfer unit is generally designated as 1. Recovery tank 3 is preferentially constructed with a sloped bottom and has a pressure and vacuum seal around the lid. This vessel serves as a collecting and temporary storage tank for the liquid to be transferred. If desired, the tank may be insulated for minimum heat loss. Ancillary vacuum chamber 4 is mounted near or on the recovery tank and is connected to the interior of the tank by line 8. Vacuum generator 5, which consists of one or more venturi jets, is mounted on the ancillary vacuum chamber 4, to which it is connected by port 11. A source (not shown) of compressed gas, for example, air, is connected to the unit by line 6. The compressed gas may be controlled by valve means to flow either to vacuum generator 5 by line 13 or to recovery tank 3 by line 7. Pressure reducing valve 26 is located in line 7 to reduce the compressed gas pressure to avoid excessive turbulence within the recovery tank.

Recovery tank 3 is connected by line -9, which can be a flexible hose, preferably less than 20 feet long, to a process vessel 2, such as a textile size box, which contains the liquid which is to be transferred. The recovery tank 3 is also connected to another process vessel 12, such as a storage tank, to which the liquid is to be transferred, by line 10, which can be rigid piping or flexible hose. Valves are located in lines 7, 8, 13, 9 and 10.

The ancillary vacuum chamber 4 is to serve as the primary vacuum chamber to eliminate the possibility of contaminating the solution with compressor lubricants from the vacuum generator. The liquid does not come into contact with this chamber.

For ease in following the flow of material, all gas flow is indicated by light arrows and all liquid flow by dark arrows.

In the vacuum cycle (shown in FIGURE 1) of the operation of the solution transfer unit, valve 23 in line 7 is closed and valve 21 in line 13 is open, directing the compressed gas, for example, at p.s.i., from line 6 through the venturi jet vacuum generator. The flow of the compressed gas through the throat of the venturi jet produces a vacuum in part II and ancillary chamber 4. Valve 22 in line 8 is open, allowing the air or gas in recovery tank 3 to be pulled through line 8, into ancillary chamber 4, and through vacuum generator 5 out to the atmosphere.

Valve 25 in line 10 is closed to keep liquid within the recovery tank 3. Valve 24 in line 9 is open, allowing the vacuum in the recovery tank to pull liquid from process vessel .2 through line 9 into the recovery tank. The level of liquid pulled into the recovery tank must not be allowed to reach the level of the discharge end of line 9 or the level of the connection of line 8 with the recovery tank.

In the pressure cycle of this unit, shown in FIGURE 2, valves 21, 22 and 24 are closed to isolate or shut off the vacuum generator, the ancillary vacuum chamber, and the process vessel 2. Valve 2-3 in line 7 is open and the compressed gas flows through pressure reducing valve 26 into the recovery tank 3. Valve 25 in line It is open and the pressure of the compressed gas, for example, 10 p.s.i., in the recovery tank forces the liquid out of the tank and through line 10 to the second process vessel 12.

It is preferred that all valves be electrically activated solenoid valves with positions programmed by a multi-cam time control.

As mentioned, lines 9 and 10 may be rigid piping with or without a common manifold or flexible hoses. In the preferred case of flexible hoses, the hoses should be constructed to withstand temperatures of 200 F., a vacuum of 204" of water and a pressure of 20' p.s.i. without rupture. Any of the known strainer devices may be used on solution intake line 9 in the process vessel.

When using 90 p.s.i. compressed air, it it desirable that the vacuum generator be designed to produce a vacuum of up to 16" of mercury. It has been found that with such a vacuum and with a pick up hose 20 feet long and 2" in diameter, a flow rate of 60 g.p.m. of water can be obtained.

In one example of actual practice, the liquid transfer unit was used as a size recovery unit in a textile mill. The purpose of a size recovery unit is to transfer textile size, generally an aqueous starch solution, from a slasher equipped with one or more size boxes to a conventional size storage kettle. Using the liquid transfer unit of this invention, the transfer of the size solution was executed in such a manner that the size solution did not come into contact with moving parts, such as is the case when conventional pumping units are employed, and no pump contamination occurred. Also, the total time required for the complete transfer was within the period required to keep the dififerential between the initial and final values of temperature and viscosity of the size solution from exceeding a value which would render the reclaimed solution unfit for reuse.

Many modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired that the only limitation placed thereon be set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A size recovery unit for transferring liquid textile size solutions comprising a liquid receiver, an ancillary vacuum chamber associated with and connected through valve means to said receiver, a vacuum generator operating on the venturi jet principle associated with said vacuum chamber and-connected with said vacuum chamber to pull a vacuum on the same, a compressed gas source and compressed gas conduit with valve for supplying compressed gas to said vacuum generator, a second conduit with valve connected to said liquid receiver and to said gas source whereby said second conduit can supply compressed gas -to said liquid receiver, a liquid intake conduit with valve communicating said liquid receiver with a body of liquid,

.anda liquid outlet conduit with valve for said receiver.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second conduit contains a pressure reducing valve.

3. In a size recovery unit for transferring a liquid textile size solution While keeping liquid from contacting moving parts, a liquid receiver with valved liquid inlet and outlet conduits, a valved gas conduit with an associated pressure reducing valve connecting said liquid receiver with a source of compressed gas, a valved vacuum conduit connecting said liquid receiver with a primary vacuum chamber,-a venturi jet vacuum generator associated with said vacuum chamber to produce a vacuum in the same, said venturi jet vacuum generator operated by compressed gas from said source and delivered by a valved second conduit from said gas conduit to said venturi jet vacuum generator.

References Cited by the Examiner DONLEY I. STOCKING, PrimaryExaminer.

MARK NEWMAN, Examiner. W. J. KRAUSS, W. L. FREEH, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A SIZE RECOVERY UNIT FOR TRANSFERRING LIQUID TEXTILE SIZE SOLUTIONS COMPRISING A LIQUID RECEIVER, AN ANCILLARY VACUUM CHAMBER ASSOCIATED WITH AND CONNECTED THROUGH VALVE MEANS TO SAID RECEIVER, A VACUUM GENERATOR OPERATING ON THE VENTURI JET PRINCIPLE ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VACUUM CHAMBER AND CONNECTED WITH SAID VACUUM CHAMBER TO PULL A VACUUM ON THE SAME, A COMPRESSED GAS SOURCE AND COMPRESSED GAS CONDUIT WITH VALVE FOR SUPPLYING COMPRESSED GAS TO SAID VACUUM GENERATOR, A SECOND CONDUIT WITH VALVE CONNECTED TO SAID LIQUID RECEIVER AND TO SAID GAS SOURCE WHEREBY SAID SECOND CONDUIT CAN SUPPLY COMPRESSED GAS TO SAID LIQUID RECEIVER, A LIQUID INTAKE CONDUIT WITH VALVE COMMUNICATING SAID LIQUID RECEIVER WITH A BODY OF LIQUID, AND A LIQUID OUTLET CONDUIT WITH VALVE FOR SAID RECEIVER. 